Hit Promotional Products, based in Largo, Florida, has notified PPAI that it is monitoring Tropical Storm Elsa, which is expected to pass over the Tampa Bay area later tonight and into tomorrow morning.
While the safety of its employees are its top priority, the supplier is working to fulfill customer orders and expects little impact today on ground shipments. However, Tampa International Airport is ceasing operations as of 5 pm today in preparation for the storm, which could affect expedited shipment methods.
The storm may also affect staffing levels at the factory due to school closures, transportation issues due to road/bridge closures, property damage and power outages. Additionally, third-party logistics carriers such as UPS and FedEx could experience delays as they route around the storm. These situations could all contribute to delayed orders for the remainder of the week.
Hit says that it will update its operational status via social media as the situation progresses.
Promotional products businesses in the path of Tropical Storm Elsa suffering outages, disruptions or other issues are encouraged to report their status to JamesK@ppai.org for follow-up reports in PPB Newslink.